My first ever trip to the flea market: Britool

[superautobacs]

Since coming onboard here on GJ I got the incentive to go to a flea market--something that I've never done in my life. I only had about an hour to find the booths that carried tools. Of the ones that I caught, most were piles of el cheapo junk. 15mins left to go until closing, I found a booth that had a pile of combination/spanner wrenches. I quickly sifted through it and found these three items. I only picked them out as they were the only ones in excellent condition and had a name that I recalled hearing on GJ.

I picked all three for $5CAN. I wasn't sure if it was a good deal or not; I was excited to find them and they just felt 'right' when handling them. The 8mm is definately my favourite; beats my other ones in feel, finish and fit.
I was pleased to find out that these go for about $9 new.

 

[wrenchr]

Those look like real good quality!!

 

[bchee]

Your picts look like they come out of the Britool catalog itself.
It looks like the satin finish.
Unbelievable condition.

 

[Uncle Buck]

While I am not familiar with the brand, they do have a very quality look about them!

 

[wrenchr]

I'm a big fan of satin finish!!! Snap on would look very cool with that finish!!

 

[Bull]

Nice looking wrenches.

One thing that bothers me about the flea market here is that most of the people selling and shopping kind of depress me...just a lot of sad looking circumstances. So, I don't go very much.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Nice looking wrenches.

One thing that bothers me about the flea market here is that most of the people selling and shopping kind of depress me...just a lot of sad looking circumstances. So, I don't go very much.

Do what I do, dress in shabby cloths and you will fit right in. BTW: Learn how to talk poor boy, it will help while dickering!

 

[wrenchr]

I hate when you ask for a price and the first words out of their mouth is well that is "snap on"!! well duh.........

 

[Paladin]

Those Britool wrenches look nice! I'm going to hit up a weekend fleamarket here in Las Vegas this weekend. I haven't been to a swapmeet in a LONG time. Hopefully I'll find some good stuff...

 

[bchee]

Learn how to talk poor boy, it will help while dickering!

Never heard of that language. How do I do that??

I exude such sophistication and class, I don't think they will fall for it if I speak poor boy.

 

[superautobacs]

I'm glad others here appreciate the quality of them (I'm glad the pictures portray that); my fiance things otherwise, though.
I was instantly sold when I grasped them in my hand--I think that's an attribute to all top quality hand tools.

I'm a big fan of satin finish!!! Snap on would look very cool with that finish!!

I dig the satin finish as well. European tool makers produce a lot them don't they.

Do what I do, dress in shabby cloths and you will fit right in. BTW: Learn how to talk poor boy, it will help while dickering!

Hahaha. I hear you on the appearance factor. I felt a little out of place in there. Next time around, I'll dress for the ocassion.

 

[Paladin]

I prefer satin chrome. Polished chrome is great until you actually USE them, then they look like shite. The satin on my Williams wrenches is really nice. Not coarse or porous, really just a nice finish kind of like those Britools.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

I'm glad others here appreciate the quality of them (I'm glad the pictures portray that); my fiance things otherwise, though.

I was instantly sold when I grasped them in my hand--I think that's an attribute to all top quality hand tools.

Yep, when you pick up a tool and instantly realize it feels jussssssst right, that's when you know it's quality!

I bought a hammer last year that was only a few dollars...but it just felt perfect! That became the hammer I used when I was driving in my siding nails.

 

[r6_cannibal]

I got the bug too mate! I'm going tomorrow hopefully. The ones down here in San Diego it doesn't really matter what you look like, as long as you speak Spanish.
Those are some really nice looking tools, good pictures too. Is that an SLR or a point and shoot?

 

[Jared]

Since coming onboard here on GJ I got the incentive to go to a flea market--something that I've never done in my life. I only had about an hour to find the booths that carried tools. Of the ones that I caught, most were piles of el cheapo junk. 15mins left to go until closing, I found a booth that had a pile of combination/spanner wrenches. I quickly sifted through it and found these three items. I only picked them out as they were the only ones in excellent condition and had a name that I recalled hearing on GJ.

what flea market did you go to? im assuming its in vancouver by your location.

 

[Brookesy]

I'm a big fan of satin finish!!! Snap on would look very cool with that finish!!

The snap on eurotools spanners have a satin finish

 

[jhn9840]

Since coming onboard here on GJ I got the incentive to go to a flea market--something that I've never done in my life. I only had about an hour to find the booths that carried tools. Of the ones that I caught, most were piles of el cheapo junk. 15mins left to go until closing, I found a booth that had a pile of combination/spanner wrenches. I quickly sifted through it and found these three items. I only picked them out as they were the only ones in excellent condition and had a name that I recalled hearing on GJ.

I picked all three for $5CAN. I wasn't sure if it was a good deal or not; I was excited to find them and they just felt 'right' when handling them. The 8mm is definately my favourite; beats my other ones in feel, finish and fit.
I was pleased to find out that these go for about $9 new.

Congrats on your find, looks like a great deal on those wrenches. Gotta watch this type of activity it can become very addictive.
Never attended a flea market, yard sale, estate auction, read the local five & dime circular, surf craigslist or ebay until I joined here. Now I can't wait to do that kind of stuff. New to me tools. Ain't it wonderful?

jhn9840
John

 

[eschoendorff]

Your picts look like they come out of the Britool catalog itself.
It looks like the satin finish.
Unbelievable condition.

+1. Those look to be great!

 

[Jononon]

While I am not familiar with the brand, they do have a very quality look about them!

Good 'workmanlike' tools that might not be as pretty as Snap-on etc. but will last forever. My Britool 1/2" ratchet and sockets were bought for pro. use in the '60s and are still going strong.

At one time almost all their tools were made in Europe, but unfortunately Stanley Works decided to piss away a century's worth of history and have abandoned the satin finish sockets, made in Sheffield, in favour of Taiwanese imports. While the quality's still good, this has been greeted with all the enthusiasm that would result from Sears suddenly replacing Craftsman USA with rebranded GearWrench As far as I am aware, the spanners are still made in France (as a result of their merger with Facom in the '90s).

There's about £20 worth there, so that's a pretty good deal

 

[superautobacs]

Those are some really nice looking tools, good pictures too. Is that an SLR or a point and shoot?

They were taken by a Nikon D40 SLR.

what flea market did you go to? im assuming its in vancouver by your location.

Hello, fellow BC'er. I went to the Vancouver Flea Market: http://www.vancouverfleamarket.com/Auction/Home.asp
With the cultural diversity that this city has, I hope to find more imported tools, especially those from Europe that may be hard to find otherwise.

..... As far as I am aware, the spanners are still made in France (as a result of their merger with Facom in the '90s).

There's about £20 worth there, so that's a pretty good deal

Thanks for the information! I've been to Britool's website before and learned a little about their history. I think it's hard to argue that their tools are still of good quality (as far as I can see with these wrenches), but I just wonder why such a company of good reputation doesn't press the manufactured origin onto the tools?

 

[rhandwor]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/ They sell Britool on this site. It is a British company I have a few items. I think they give one years warranty.

 

[Thumper]

Good score ! Those look like some really nice wrenches.

 

[jerk_chicken]

Some really nice wrenches. I considered last month a set of them, but ultimately passed. FWIW, the combos look almost exactly like some SO's I have in my collection.

 

[Major Ramifications]

Apparently the flea markets up there are quite an improvement over the ones I have been to.
I have ranted about this on here recently, but here I go again. I stopped at one in Mobile Alabama last Saturday, and I found that almost everyone else there was deeply inbred. I mean they had some serious holes in their DNA. The best actor in the world could not have convinced these people that he was just a poor slob like them. It was depressing and disgusting. It was a 6 acre flea market, but after I walked down one row, I headed down the next row toward my car. Dude, they were selling DOGS in cages. I felt like I was in the twighlight zone. Who would buy a dog from the trashiest looking people on the planet? And for $1,500? Yeah, right.
Kind of funny, there was a black guy with a booth full of obama parephenalia, which didn't seem to be getting much interest from the local redneck customers.

 

[-B-]

Those look like fantastic wrenches and the finish is just right for those that their hands slick from hard work.

I dug around their web site http://www.britool.com/index.php looks like we are out of luck in North America.

I do say they have the best draw configurations that would work for me.

 

[fatfillup]

Nice wrenches and great pics. I'm afraid you got the fever now. I plan my Saturdays around what flea markets and estates sales are happening. Dressing down is always a good idea when buying.

 

[v8garage]

I have never heard of Britool, but they have that quality look to them. Good find!
V/8

 

[Garage_Mahal]

eBay sellers with lots of Britools
hardwick1982_on (The Tool Academy)
facom_man
I've ordered from both and they don't kill you on shipping from the UK.

Britool is a Stanley company. It's obvious that they share tool designs with FACOM. I also see some designs shared with SK from the time that SK was in that conglomerate. So I figure I'm not missing anything from them because I can get the equivalent from FACOM or SK in the U.S.